Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition

[Volourn]

Except a BG3 made by these guys will likely be crap. Why the hell would I want to support that?

[Gromnir]

Except a BG3 made by these guys will likely be crap. Why the hell would I want to support that?

...

 

am knowing what we said 'bout vol not always being wrong, but he frequent is. even when we agree with vol conclusions, we typical disagree that any sane person could conclude as vol does once he explains How he reached his conclusion. soooooo, what Gromnir is saying is that we is now intrigued enough to purchase bg2: ee. am not curious enough to purchase bg:ee as we were never a genuine fan o' that game. to us, bg2 was bg:ee. vol's nerd-rage over beamdog has earned them a new customer.

 

am gonna download and at least play the arena stuff to get a feel for beamdog enhancements. our feedback will be forthcoming. perhaps bg2:ee will be crap, but with the way vol reasoning works, am guessing that "a BG3 made by these guys will likely be gold."

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Volourn]

Have fun!

[Hiro Protagonist II]

am gonna download and at least play the arena stuff to get a feel for beamdog enhancements. our feedback will be forthcoming. perhaps bg2:ee will be crap, but with the way vol reasoning works, am guessing that "a BG3 made by these guys will likely be gold."

 

Looking forward to your feedback with bugs and all.

 

A year later, BG:EE still has bugs. And going by the BG2EE bug forum, looks like Beamdog is keeping up their track record. I wouldn't waste my time on BG2EE. Bitten once, twice shy for me.

[Mungri]

 

Except that BGEE and BG2EE were intended as kickstarters for BG3. Plenty of people already bought BG multiple times because they enjoy the game so much. $25 now on top of how much you originally paid is still a lot less than the amount of money some of you are throwing into kickstarters.

That just doesn't make sense. If Beamdog wanted to do a kickstarter, then they should have done a kickstarter instead of a re-release of a game. If Beamdog would have done an actual kickstarter for BG3 and had members of the original team, I would probably have given more than $45.

 

There's 4 new kits, shadowdancer, dragon disciple, sun and dark monks. There's a great new arena based expansion with new custom scripted AI and some very difficult challenges. And the widescreen and UI improvements make the base game much better to run on todays monitors, and no old mods don't compare because those used to shrink the UI and make everything unreadable.

I meant kits that were not in the first EE.

 

And UI mods are far and away not the only mods that work for BG2 that do not work for the EE. If I can't use level 1 NPCs, BG2 Tweaks, BG1+2 UB, Item Upgrades, Sword and Fist, Song and Silence, Divine Remix, Sorcerer's Place Collection, or SCS1+2 with BG2EE, then I don't see the point of paying $25 to play a game I already own without tweaks I find essential because of marginal UI improvements.

 

 

I don't think you understand how DnD works. Beamdog were not given permission from Atari / Wotc to make a BG3, all hey were allowed to do was make these EEs with a possibility of making a BG3 if they did well.

[Nepenthe]

 

Except that BGEE and BG2EE were intended as kickstarters for BG3. Plenty of people already bought BG multiple times because they enjoy the game so much. $25 now on top of how much you originally paid is still a lot less than the amount of money some of you are throwing into kickstarters.

That just doesn't make sense. If Beamdog wanted to do a kickstarter, then they should have done a kickstarter instead of a re-release of a game. If Beamdog would have done an actual kickstarter for BG3 and had members of the original team, I would probably have given more than $45.

 

'cept they can't use kickstarter due to the IPs involved, they have to gather capital for their pitch in other ways, namely the EEs. Makes perfect sense, really.

 

From the new material in BGEE, I'd say there's definitely a place in the world for BG style games done by Overhaul, as well.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I don't think you understand how DnD works. Beamdog were not given permission from Atari / Wotc to make a BG3, all hey were allowed to do was make these EEs with a possibility of making a BG3 if they did well.

I'm perfectly aware of the IP bitchfest that is D&D licensing.

 

I don't think you know the difference between a Kickstarter and what Beamdog is doing. A Kickstarter has a concrete goal for what the game will be made for, Beamdog does not. If I give $165 to PE, and I see that it has raised over $1,100,000, I know PE will be made. Of I buy BGEE and/or BG2EE, I have no guarantee that BG3 will be made, as Beamdog doesn't release sales figures and "does well" is certainly more vague than the stated figure from PE.

[Enoch]

Finally went and played BG:EE since 1.2 patch got released. I love that all the ogre mages drop katanas for some reason.

 

Also, never played Tales content and now I'm amazed how bad I am at this game. Reloading and buffing the party before every high-level spellcaster fight is not a lot of fun. Also, I can't quite function without contingencies and sequencers, and I haven't seen the scroll for minor sequencer anywhere. BG2 is far more forgiving.

 

I've long been of the opinion that the bulk of the Tales of the Sword Coast content is fun only to AD&D savants and masochists. 

 

To this day, I've still never gotten more than a level or two deep into Durlag's basement.  Repeated "HaHa Deathtrap" gameplay is simply not how I like to spend my free time.  Collect the WIS book and the magic scimitar from the tower, farm some XP to get to the BG2 import cap, and get the heck out of there. 

[Walsingham]

 

Finally went and played BG:EE since 1.2 patch got released. I love that all the ogre mages drop katanas for some reason.

 

Also, never played Tales content and now I'm amazed how bad I am at this game. Reloading and buffing the party before every high-level spellcaster fight is not a lot of fun. Also, I can't quite function without contingencies and sequencers, and I haven't seen the scroll for minor sequencer anywhere. BG2 is far more forgiving.

 

I've long been of the opinion that the bulk of the Tales of the Sword Coast content is fun only to AD&D savants and masochists. 

 

To this day, I've still never gotten more than a level or two deep into Durlag's basement.  Repeated "HaHa Deathtrap" gameplay is simply not how I like to spend my free time.  Collect the WIS book and the magic scimitar from the tower, farm some XP to get to the BG2 import cap, and get the heck out of there. 

 

 

I gave Kagain the tome which boosted his toughness. Full suit of heavy armour, spells etc. Just walked him around, triggering everything. He had flames on the horns on his helmet half the adventure.

[Zoraptor]

I don't think you know the difference between a Kickstarter and what Beamdog is doing. A Kickstarter has a concrete goal for what the game will be made for, Beamdog does not. If I give $165 to PE, and I see that it has raised over $1,100,000, I know PE will be made. Of I buy BGEE and/or BG2EE, I have no guarantee that BG3 will be made, as Beamdog doesn't release sales figures and "does well" is certainly more vague than the stated figure from PE.

 

Yep, there's no information on all those things any good kickstarter gives you info on- such basic things as engine, what edition of rules would be used let alone whether the game would/ could actually be made, or allowed to be made. If it were to be compared to a KS it would be one of those slightly dodgy sounding Indiegogo flexible funding ones which are basically "here's my cool idea, give me money! (no refunds)". Which isn't really accurate either, but it's a lot more accurate than comparing it to something like PE. At the moment the whole thing relies on a vague idea of getting BG3 later by buying something now, and relies on (1) the thing they're selling being worthwhile and (2) you wanting them to make BG3. For many people neither will be true, I certainly don't want a shovelware BG3 and at the moment I have little faith in Overhaul to provide worthwhile overhauls, let alone new work.

[BruceVC]

 

I don't think you know the difference between a Kickstarter and what Beamdog is doing. A Kickstarter has a concrete goal for what the game will be made for, Beamdog does not. If I give $165 to PE, and I see that it has raised over $1,100,000, I know PE will be made. Of I buy BGEE and/or BG2EE, I have no guarantee that BG3 will be made, as Beamdog doesn't release sales figures and "does well" is certainly more vague than the stated figure from PE.

 

. For many people neither will be true, I certainly don't want a shovelware BG3 and at the moment I have little faith in Overhaul to provide worthwhile overhauls, let alone new work.

 

 

Wow that's a very negative view on Beamdogs ability to deliver

 

Personally I long for another RPG that is set in the Forgotten Realms and offers the same entertainment as BG2, so a BG3 would be ideal.

 

I accept that we may never see another one but if Beamdog claims they want to make BG3 then they will have my full financial support

[HoonDing]

 

Finally went and played BG:EE since 1.2 patch got released. I love that all the ogre mages drop katanas for some reason.

 

Also, never played Tales content and now I'm amazed how bad I am at this game. Reloading and buffing the party before every high-level spellcaster fight is not a lot of fun. Also, I can't quite function without contingencies and sequencers, and I haven't seen the scroll for minor sequencer anywhere. BG2 is far more forgiving.

 

I've long been of the opinion that the bulk of the Tales of the Sword Coast content is fun only to AD&D savants and masochists. 

 

To this day, I've still never gotten more than a level or two deep into Durlag's basement.  Repeated "HaHa Deathtrap" gameplay is simply not how I like to spend my free time.  Collect the WIS book and the magic scimitar from the tower, farm some XP to get to the BG2 import cap, and get the heck out of there. 

 

Doesn't a Demon Knight pop out of nowhere way in the beginning and throw around some fireballs, likely killing an unprepared party?

[Bester]

If beamdog wanted to do a BG3, what engine would that be on? I'd love to see BG3 on infinity, but they wouldn't do that, it's too old now. They'd do it on some ****ty 3D NWN2 style engine and ruin the whole experience. Then they'd get tons of problems porting dnd system to their ****ty engine. Then they'd run out of time, out of money, it'd be a catastro****. And really they have yet to prove they have writers at all. Their characters don't exactly get any praise. Their arenas are mmmeeeehhh...

Edited November 26, 2013 by Bester

[BruceVC]

If beamdog wanted to do a BG3, what engine would that be on? I'd love to see BG3 on infinity, but they wouldn't do that, it's too old now. They'd do it on some ****ty 3D NWN2 style engine and ruin the whole experience. Then they'd get tons of problems porting dnd system to their ****ty engine. Then they'd run out of time, out of money, it'd be a catastro****. And really they have yet to prove they have writers at all. Their characters don't exactly get any praise. Their arenas are mmmeeeehhh...

 

So is it fair to say that you don't have confidence in Beamdog being able to develop BG3? Your post is a little confusing around where you sit in this discussion....

[Nepenthe]

If beamdog wanted to do a BG3, what engine would that be on? I'd love to see BG3 on infinity, but they wouldn't do that, it's too old now. They'd do it on some ****ty 3D NWN2 style engine and ruin the whole experience. Then they'd get tons of problems porting dnd system to their ****ty engine. Then they'd run out of time, out of money, it'd be a catastro****. And really they have yet to prove they have writers at all. Their characters don't exactly get any praise. Their arenas are mmmeeeehhh...

 

Originally, they were looking at something along the lines of what PE is using, I believe, but that was before they had to rewrite a bunch of core systems for infinity - I have no idea what their current plans are, but I think you'll be looking either at their rewritten infinity or 3d characters on 2d backgrounds. Considering the collective reasons stated by the Overhaul people for leaving Bioware, I doubt they'd do what you're suggesting here.

 

And, so far, the worst thing I've heard said about Overhaul's writers was something along the lines of them not being quite as good as Bioware as at their prime. Let's face it, nobody apart from Obsidian's people are. Still leaves room for being better than anybody else.

[Bester]

Well then. They released BG2EE, now what? Are they doing BG3 or what?

[Nepenthe]

Fixing bugs and dlc, first, probably.

[alanschu]

 

If beamdog wanted to do a BG3, what engine would that be on? I'd love to see BG3 on infinity, but they wouldn't do that, it's too old now. They'd do it on some ****ty 3D NWN2 style engine and ruin the whole experience. Then they'd get tons of problems porting dnd system to their ****ty engine. Then they'd run out of time, out of money, it'd be a catastro****. And really they have yet to prove they have writers at all. Their characters don't exactly get any praise. Their arenas are mmmeeeehhh...

 

Originally, they were looking at something along the lines of what PE is using, I believe, but that was before they had to rewrite a bunch of core systems for infinity - I have no idea what their current plans are, but I think you'll be looking either at their rewritten infinity or 3d characters on 2d backgrounds. Considering the collective reasons stated by the Overhaul people for leaving Bioware, I doubt they'd do what you're suggesting here.

 

And, so far, the worst thing I've heard said about Overhaul's writers was something along the lines of them not being quite as good as Bioware as at their prime. Let's face it, nobody apart from Obsidian's people are. Still leaves room for being better than anybody else.

 

 

What were their stated reasons?

[Nepenthe]

My memory has distilled them into their feeling that Bioware was moving too far from what made their games special.

 

I don't necessarily fully agree, but it's what makes me fairly convinced they'll be as conservative as conservative can be in the type of game they make.

[Mamoulian War]

Actually BG3 in upgraded infinity Engine might be for me worthy to give them some money in contrast with EEs... I just want to see writing in their original DLCs first...

[Zoraptor]

Personally I long for another RPG that is set in the Forgotten Realms and offers the same entertainment as BG2, so a BG3 would be ideal.

 

I'd like BG3 to be made, but that doesn't mean I'm going to lose my critical faculties and swoon as soon as it's mentioned. At present Overhaul lacks pretty much everything necessary to make BG3- the licences, the finances, the resources for a full scale game development, an engine. There's literally no information beyond the simple desire to do it, a desire which has previously been expressed by others that I'd far rather see do it, who I have more confidence in doing it well, and who are in a far better position to do it. I'm not the type of person who will celebrate something being made or the potential for something being made just for the sake of it, I'd want some confidence that it will be done well too. I don't want a rubbish BG3 just for the sake of having something, anything, Baldur's Gate.

 

If they do get to make a BG3 I'll approach it with an open(ish) mind, because a lot of the unanswered questions will then have to be answered, until that time I will remain extremely sceptical.

[Monte Carlo]

^ What Zoraptor said.

 

That's a bloody big pair of boots to fill, BG3. I would be relaxed with a relatively low-tech engine, but the other content would need to be top-notch and true to the spirit of the original.

 

Where's the evidence that Overhaul can deliver a 70+ hour D&D CRPG?

 

There's also the licensing issues regarding 2EAD&D, which is as dead as disco. Would Atari WotC demand a 4E BG3. If so, I doubt I'd play it.

[Nepenthe]

Probably d&d next, though they've gotten ecumenical in their old age: the recently released Murder in Baldur's Gate pnp module comes with 3.5e, 4e and NEXT statblocks.

[aluminiumtrioxid]

What I don't get is how would anyone make a BG3? You can't meaningfully continue the story, and advertising yourself as a direct successor to perhaps THE most acclaimed isometric RPG ever seems to be a pretty bad move. Most folks who would be interested in that sort of thing are generally pretty well-informed, so I'd guess a "spiritual sequel" is about as attractive to them as a direct one, and you don't have to deal with the frothing fanboys screaming "HERESY" at every little change.

 

As a side note, I'd be perfectly happy with a 4E-based D&D game. It would be a pretty good fit for a CRPG, I think.

[Monte Carlo]

He he we could easily have another 'how would you make BG3?' thread.

 

I always liked the post-apoc Faerun idea of surviving as some sort of legacy character after the war of the Bhaalspawn, but I'm not a canonical FR mentat so I don't know if that's possible.